I have been on 25-50 mcg of thyroxine ever since I had post partum thyroiditis 3+ years ago. My levels were ok so I just stopped there, I have never felt well at all and have really struggled with an array of symptoms ever since. I am unable to work because of the symptoms and struggle with just general life.
I thought maybe I am not on enough so recently upped it to 75, I had it tested after about 3 months on it and my levels were showing potentially too much medication. Beside the levels I started feeling very unwell on this amount.
These were my most recent levels-
TSH 0.05 [0.27-4.5]
T4 20.1 [11-23]
(My previous results on 50mcg wasn’t done on the protocols you advise on here so not sure it’s worth comparing them but they was always around tsh 1.2 and t4 15.5)
I know it’s not ideal that t3 wasn’t tested but these bloods weren’t specifically done for thyroid so I’m not surprised dr didn’t test this. (I do seem to convert well). The reason for the bloods was to check over everything as a whole. On these results I had an positive homogenous ANA pattern and the result was 1:160.
Is that something that occurs with autoimmune thyroiditis or could this mean I’m suffering with something else?
I guess I’m just so confused as to why thyroxine doesn’t improve anything at all and when I surpass 50mcg I feel extremely unwell. Is it possible for 25-50mcg to be my end dose? Thanks in advance for any comments or advice. Courtney
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My Ferritin was still 33.8 [20-130]- I’m struggling to up it?!
Folate has now increase to 9.4 [2.0-18.7]
I’ve never had a problem with B12I have Spatone for my iron and vit d spray at 4000 iu
My thyroxine was accord for both amounts. I tried liquid thyroxine before too and that didn’t help. I have tried another brand of thyroxine a while ago and also didn’t help, I have also tried a very strict elimination diet which didn’t help. I have been gluten free for 1+ year but stopped as I was seeing no benefit whatsoever. I’ve been tested for coeliac before and negative (I was eating gluten at the time)
I know I have an autoimmune thyroid problem but I wanted to know if you have heard of the ANA being positive in thyroiditis or if that is normally something separate? Wondering if part of my symptoms aren’t even related to thyroid
Serum ferritin level is the biochemical test, which most reliably correlates with relative total body iron stores. In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency.
Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron
Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption
This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.
We have received further information the lab about ferritin reference ranges. They confirm that they are sex dependent up to the age of 60, then beyond the age of 60 the reference range is the same for both sexes:
Males 16-60: 30-400 ug/L
Female's: 16-60: 30-150
Both >60: 30-650
The lower limit of 30 ug/L is in accordance with the updated NICE guidance and the upper limits are in accordance with guidance from the Association of Clinical Biochemists. ‘
IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg)
How other member saw how effective improving low B vitamins has been
hi I am in exactly the same position as yourself, I have been on 50mch of levothyroxine even since I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at 18 years of age and I am 35 now then in 2019 I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and levels were all out of sync and put me on carbimazole for roughly 8 weeks then went gravely hypo again.
I am now on 75mcg of levothyroxine after that ever since that episode of hyper I had in 2019.
no not really, I get palpitations every day, feel breathless absolutely starving all the time and I’ve lost around 2.5kg in a week. I had some more bloods taken on Saturday so I will call the docs tomorrow to see if they have improved at all, how do you feel?
oh sorry to hear that! I hope the bloods are helpful in getting you feeling better. I feel horrific, I have so many symptoms that I just wouldn’t know where to start. My balance is not good and my whole body just feels so unwell atm 😬 it’s been a very long road I’m hoping to see some light at the end of the tunnel soon. Take care
With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a separate B12 supplement and add a separate vitamin B Complex after a week
Then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), you may be able to reduce then stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.
If Vegetarian or vegan likely to need ongoing separate B12 few times a week
hello Steph1122 . Wow that’s a big jump for tsh, was that on same dose thyroxine aswell? How are you feeling?
I’ve been pretty rough past few months. Tsh is still surpressed I went up to 75mcg and tsh was 0.02 so went to 62.5mcg and was still 0.09 so been told to go back to 50mcg but my body feels so weird and unwell on it and now I think all the changing doses has really upset my body. I seem to be very sensitive to it. Struggling to understand how 50mcg can be too much when it’s a starting dose?
All very confusing and thinking maybe I don’t need it because after all it was post partum that it kicked off but after the stories on here I’m terrified of coming off!
yes that was on levothyroxine 75mcg now gp has told me to take 75mcg every other day and 100mcg on the rest of days so alternative days. I’m feeling so tired all the time my joints ache I’ve got brain fog so hoping increasing it every other day will help but we will see 🤷♀️.
So yours was post partem? Do you know what your ranges are by any chance?
from your TSH and FT4 levels, it appears you are taking too much of a dose. Thyroid sometimes repairs itself, so this is what may have happened to you.
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